FASTER, SMARTER, GREENER: The state of city innovation on climate change and other urban challenges

This is the urban century. Today, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities. By the middle of the century more than two thirds of us will. But such growth comes with corresponding challenges. Municipal governments are facing challenges of increasing complexity, including climate change and the need for sustainable, resilient and low carbon development.

Dealing with these challenges requires two important shifts within city governments:

It is now well understood that cities must become ‘smarter’ in using information and communication technology (ICT) as both an enabler and provider of city services.

They must also seek to become more ‘agile’ – faster and more flexible in identifying challenges, and sourcing and implementing new solutions.

Smart technology and city agility are interlinked trends with each enabling the other to progress effectively, and both are clear prerequisites for the development of lower carbon, more liveable cities.

This report presents the findings from a survey and case study analysis of 50 diverse cities from around world who are engaged in efforts to improve their performance through greater agility.

The aim of this report is to better understand how these cities are moving towards greater agility in their formal processes for addressing challenges, and it concludes with key recommendations that will help deliver the smarter, lower carbon cities of the future.